MCD Developments: raising the bar for residential developments

MCD are an award-winning development and investment company that specialises in mixed-use regeneration projects.

Their twenty-strong in-house team have all the skills necessary to take a comprehensive approach to new schemes, using detailed research to come up with creative solutions that maximise new property value, even in the toughest of economic climates. Founded in 1996, the company’s experience in the market has lead to carefully honed, controlled strategies and an attention to quality which makes their developments highly sought-after.

Among other schemes, MCD is currently showcasing its commercial and residential product at two sites in Coventry and Bristol.

Upon City College Coventry’s relocation into the Swanswell Education Zone, MCD have been regenerating one of the college’s old sites. In Phase One, the company created 65,000 sq ft of BREEAM excellent, prime office space in July 2009. This phase also included car parking, leisure facilities and an impressive 3,000 sq ft reception area – all of which are now occupied by the UK government’s Department for Education. The scale and value of this acquisition made it the largest city centre transaction in five years.

Using their expertise in complex and sensitive sites, MCD has committed to restoring and refurbishing the existing Neoclassical building as the next phase of development – due for completion in November 2011. The top two floors of the building will be a 100-bed Premier Inn with offices, leisure and retail on the lower floors.

The much loved community theatre will also be retained and restored to take its rightful place at the heart of the scheme.

The remaining phases of the 7.5 acre site will comprise a lively mixed-use development, including a retirement scheme, family homes and apartments (almost 50 of which have already been completed and are occupied), as well as further high quality office accommodation, restaurants and bars. Meanwhile in Bristol’s Cabot Circus, MCD is heading the residential aspect of a £500 million regeneration project. Bristol Alliance, a joint venture between Hammerson Plc and Land Securities Plc, selected MCD as the residential partners on the scheme.

One hundred and ninety-five city centre apartments will be created in two developments. ‘Horizon’ is a podium-level structure benefitting from a courtyard garden, and will contain a hundred and nineteen apartments. The remaining apartments will be housed a stone’s-throw away in ‘Eclipse’, a seventeen-storey tower with a striking presence on the city skyline.

The base of ‘Eclipse’ will be home to the Harvey Nicholls flagship store, whilst the five blocks of ‘Horizon’ also contain ground-floor retail units. Situated on a new piazza amongst the vibrant new shopping area, these high-spec residences offer an edgy new take on city living.